Optics and Electromagnetic Waves

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from optics and electromagnetic waves as discussed in the lecture.

Electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum)

The range of all types of electromagnetic radiation.

Photometry

The science of measurement of light perceived by the human eye.

Geometric optics

A simplified model of optics treating light as rays that travel in straight lines.

Quantum optics

The application of quantum mechanics to optical systems, describing light as particles called photons.

Rayleigh scattering

A phenomenon where light is scattered by particles much smaller than the wavelength of light.

Total internal reflection

The phenomenon that occurs when light is completely reflected back into a medium, typically when it strikes a boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle.

Absorption coefficient (α)

A measure of how much light is absorbed by a medium as it passes through.

Malus' Law

Describes the intensity of plane-polarized light passing through a polarizer.

Snell's Law

Describes the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction when light passes through different media.

Birefringence

A difference in the refractive index in different directions in a material.

Dispersion

The separation of light into its component colors due to differing refractive indices.

Aberration

The failure of a lens to focus all colors to the same convergence point, causing distortion.

Focal length (f)

The distance from the lens to the focal point where parallel rays converge.

Optical power (P)

The measure of the degree to which a lens converges or diverges light, expressed in diopters.

Luminous flux (Φ)

The total amount of visible light emitted by a source per unit time.

Illuminance (E)

The total luminous flux incident on a surface per unit area.

Photocolorimetry

A method for determining concentrations of substances in colored solutions based on light absorption.

Quantum mechanics

The branch of physics dealing with the behavior of matter and energy on the atomic and subatomic level.